Cold weather vacations are made for bucket lists. There’s nothing more exciting than following in the footsteps of explorers charting the Northwest Passage, whale watching and moose-spotting. And there’s nothing more romantic than a peaceful dinner for two under the Northern Lights. Thrill seekers will love the rush of climbing a glacier, while luxury vacationers will swoon over natural hot spring baths surrounded by ice-covered tundras. 

If you’re ready to add a cold weather vacation to your bucket list, here are some ideas to get you started. 

A classic to be sure, but take your ski vacation to the next level with a once in a lifetime destination like the Swiss Alps or British Columbia. The Olympic-level skiing at five star resorts in Zermatt, Whistler and St. Moritz is matched only by the stunning surroundings. Luxury ski resorts at these epic destinations will have all the amenities you can think of and then some. Try heli-skiing at one of these luxury destinations for the freshest powder and pristine natural surroundings. Take a shot on a half-pipe or learn to jump on skis or snowboards. You don’t need to be an expert skier to enjoy your vacation in the snow covered mountains, ski resorts offer lessons, assists and plenty of opportunity to relax off the slopes.

Outdoor winter sports go way beyond skiing and snowboarding. You could cross country ski to an exclusive resort in the Canadian Rockies, snowmobile over frozen lakes, or snowshoe in frozen alpine forests. Try ice skating down a frozen river in historic Norway or Sweden or snowmobiling through snowdrifts in the French Alps. 

If you’re looking for something exciting, but less dangerous than snowmobiling through an avalanche, let the pros compete and settle in with a cup of hot chocolate to watch. The Winter Olympics, Winter X Games or the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup are all thrilling winter sports adventures and all held at amazing locations around the world. 

The ancient nature of a massive, pale blue glacier is something everyone should see in their lifetime. Unique for their ability to move, change size and shape, glaciers are wonders of the natural world. In Patagonia and the Antarctic, the best way to see glaciers is by boat. Float by imposing ice cliffs rising from the sea and let a guide tell you where the glacier came from, where it’s going. If you’re lucky, you may even see a giant ice shelf break off and crash into the freezing ocean. You can also hike to glaciers, like those in Iceland and Alaska, and you can even hike on top of them. Iceland is famous for its glacier caves that you can walk into, surrounded by eery blue light reflecting through ice. 

If you’re looking for a resort vacation minus the effort of skiing, there are some amazing resorts in epic cold weather destinations for après ski. Luxury destinations like Verbier, Switzerland or Val d’Isere, France are full of resorts where you can relax off the slopes and take in amazing culture, food and atmosphere. 

For a more lively party atmosphere, resort towns in Austria and Italy attract ski bum types who ski hard and party harder. Most après ski destinations are in Europe, but five star resorts with stunning alpine mountain views and luxury accommodations can be found in ski towns like Whistler in Canada, Vail in Colorado and Niseko in Japan.

Nature’s most impressive light show, the Northern Lights are a true bucket list item. Also known as the aurora borealis, the beautiful blue and green lights are caused by disturbances in the magnetosphere caused by solar wind. The aurora display curtains, rays, spirals and flickers throughout the sky, lit up against the stars.

They can be seen from high latitude regions like Canada, Sweden, and Lapland. Once in a lifetime trips to see the Northern Lights include ocean cruises off the coast of Norway, private igloos in Iceland or even a luxurious train trip through Russia.

Cold weather trips allow for amazing wildlife watching. Wildlife expeditions can catch whales, moose, reindeer and polar bears, as well as arctic foxes, killer whales, walruses and penguins. Many rare and endangered species like the narwhal, caribou and musk ox live in some of the most beautifully remote locations in arctic climates. Journeying to see these rare animals is part of the experience, and some of them are difficult to get to, but so worth it. Once you arrive, arctic safari guides will show you the animals in their natural habitat.

Arctic cruises are the perfect blend of adventure expedition and luxury vacation. These cruises are once in a lifetime experiences where a ship will take you deep in to Arctic waters. Cruises go to northern Greenland, the Canadian Arctic and even the North Pole. Guides will take you past glaciers, icebergs and fjords to see walrus, humpback whales and killer whales. Puffin nests, penguin colonies and roaming polar bears populated the expansive ice floes. Cruises range from luxury to scientific and you can even hop on a research vessel to explore into the North Pole.